this post was submitted on 30 Nov 2023
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I LOVE Alfonso Cuarón’s sci-fi action movie Children of Men. I’ve watched maybe six times and every time, the ending always almost brings me to tears. So when I learned it was adapted from P.D. James’ book of the same name, it was a no-brainer deciding what my next book would be.

After finishing the book, it wasn’t difficult to reach to the conclusion that I enjoyed the movie better.

While James’ book gives a more in-depth look at how human infertility and humanity’s slow death march towards extinction affects the sexual dynamic between men and women and almost demented ways humans try to cope with a world without children or a race of dead men walking, I feel the book dedicates WAY too much time describing the failing of human civilization and the Regrets and guilt of Theo Faron. It’s not even until after 2/3 through the book where it feels like the plot and story are properly paced and stuff of consequence actually begin to happen.

The film’s adaptation by, comparison, feels consistent in its pacing and the world building and woe-is-mes of Theo feel more compact a take up less of the audience’s time.

What books do you feel were worse than its film adaptation and why?

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[–] NoGoodIDNames@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago (14 children)

Arrival.
The book goes much more into the concepts but the presentation of the aliens is pretty lackluster. The movie is much better at conveying a sense of awe.

[–] trentreynolds@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago (6 children)

Couldn't possibly disagree more with this one. Story Of Your Life is one of the best novellas ever written IMO

[–] LD50_irony@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago (3 children)

Strong agree on this. I suspect only people who read the novella second like the movie better.

I was surprised by how well the movie was done though. I had serious doubts about anyone being able to adapt the story for the screen, but they did a really good job.

[–] trentreynolds@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

I love the movie for sure. It wouldn’t be an easy story to adapt. That story is just beyond beautiful to me

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